Spray gun for fire apparatus and the like



- INVENTOR.

A June 22, 1954 AR 2,681,831

SPRAY GUN FOR FIRE APPARATUS AND THE LIKE Filed ma 28, 1951 Jag/(M707 i.fla /0x;

Patented June 22, 1954 SPRAY GUN FOR FIRE APPARATUS AND THE LIKEBenjamin D. Barton, Battle Creek, Mich., as-

signor to American Fire Apparatus Company,

Battle Creek, Mich.

Application May 28, 1951, Serial No. 228,626

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in spray guns for fire apparatusand the like.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a spray gun for fire apparatus and the like which ishighly efficient in delivering a very fine spray or so called fog ormist and projecting it to a considerable distance, and other types ofspray ranging therefrom to substantially a stream delivery.

Second, to provide a structure having these advantages which is verysimple in its parts and easily regulated to control the delivery.

Further objects relating to details and economies of the invention willappear from the description to follow. The invention is defined andpointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is il- .lustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a spray gun embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view mainly in longitudinal section ona line corresponding to line 22 of Figs. 1, and 6 with the valve inclosed or seated position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partially in section corresponding to thatof Fig. 2 with the valve partially open to mist forming discharge.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partially in section of the valve fullyopen and the gun adapted to discharge a substantially solid stream.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on a line corresponding to line 55 ofFig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on a line corresponding to line 66 ofFig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the tubular barrel I is provided with pistoltype gri 2 constituting a supply conduit and having a suitable hoseconnection indicated at 3. The plunger rod l is controlled from thetrigger-like lever 5 which is pivoted at 6. The operating connectionsfor the lever to the plunger rod are not illustrated as they form nopart of my present invention; however, suitable operating connectionsare illus trated in my co-pending application, Serial No. 31,547, filedJune "7, 1948, now Pat. 2,621,076, granted December 9, 1952. i

The chambered head designated generally by the numeral 1 comprises abase or coupling portion 8 threaded upon the barrel I and externallythreaded at 3 to receive the body portion II] of the head. The head isprovided with a discharge port II and a rearwardlyfacing valve seat I2surrounding the port. head is conical and merges into the valve seat.

The tip I4 is threaded upon a reduced portion The end wall I3 of the I5of the head and has a central passage it opening to the port It. Thistip in effect elongates the port II to more effectively direct the sprayissuing from the port and it also serves as a guard or battering headfor the end of the gun if it is desired to use the gun in battering anopening in a wall or the like.

The annular throat member I! is disposed in the chambered head, beingsupported between the inclined or conical wall portion I3 and thespider-like guide 18 for the throat restrictor I9 which is mounted onthe plunger rod l. The base or coupling portion 3 of the head isdisposed in end abutting engagement with the spider or guide member I3.This permits the assembling of the parts without other securing meansthan merely inserting the throat member followed by the guide member andthreading the body memher i upon the base or coupling member 8. Thethroat member is provided with a plurality of spirally peripheraldisposed grooves 213 which coact with the wall of the head in providinga plurality of small spiral passages 2I as is best shown in Fig. 5.

The valve 22 disposed in front of the restrictor is preferably taperedand is carried by the plunger rod l. The opening of the throat has aforwardly cylindrical portion 23 and a rearwardly expanding tapering orconical portion 2 5. The restrictor in the preferred embodimentillustrated has a forwardly tapered or conical portion 25 at its frontend. When the valve is closed as shown in Fig. 2, the restrictorsubstantially closes the throat. The cylindrical portion of the throatis of such axial width that the throat is closed during a substantialrange of adjustment of the valve and during this range of adjustment ofthe valve, the water or other liquid is discharged through theperipheral passages of the throat against the conical wall I3 with theresult that a fine mist or spray is produced and discharged as such fromthe port I I. Further opening such as will bring the conical portion 25of the restrictor into the throat provides controllable discharge ofwater, depending on the degree of opening through the throat and thisvaries the character of the spray until when the valve is fully openedand the restrictor entirely withdrawn from the throat, a substantiallysolid stream is discharged. The space between the throat member and thedischarge port provides a discharge chamber into which the liquiddischarged from the passages U is delivered with nates pockets whichwould tend to break up the swirling delivery of the spray as a so calledfog, that is, a very fine spray. This arrangement of parts enables thecontrol of the spray not only to conserve water but to avoid damage ofmerchandise and other objects such as is likely to result from the useof an excess of water. There are instances, however, where long rangedischarge is required, and the applicants structure provides for this aswell as for varying degrees of fineness in the spray from the so calledfog to a substantially solid stream.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practicalcommercial embodiment. I have not attempted to illustrate variousmodifications and adaptations as it is believed that this disclosurewill enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention asmay be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a barrelprovided with a supply connection, a chambered head provided with adischarge port at its outer end and with a rearwardly facing conicalvalve seat surrounding the port, the end wall of the chamber beingconical and merging into the conical valve seat, an annular throatmember disposed in -said head and provided with a plurality of spirallydisposed peripheral grooves, the throat member coacting with the wallsof the head to provide a plurality of spiral passages openingto the headchamber at the rear of the throat and discharging against the saidconical surface, said throat member having a cylindrical forward throatportion and a rearwardly flaring rear throat portion, a manuallyactuated plunger rod, a throat restrictor member actuated therewith andhaving a cylindrical portion movable into and out of said throat andacting to substantially close the throat when its cylindrical portion iswithin the throat, said restrictor member having a forwardly taperedportion in front of its said cylindrical portion for variablyrestricting the throat, a valve movable with saidrestrictor member andpositioned relative to'the cylindrical portion thereof so that thethroat is substantially closed during a substantial range of adjustmentof the valve, said valve having a conical forward end portion seatinglyen- 'gageable with said conical seat, the conical surfaces of said endwall, valve seat and valve facilitating a relatively large uninterruptedinward, forward, and spiral flow of water from the forward ends of saidperipheral grooves to within said discharge port and forward said valve,and facilitating a relatively large straight forward flow of water fromthe throat into the discharge port and forward the valve, the range ofadjustment of the restri tor member being such that it is entirelywithdrawn from the throat when the valve is fully open, and aspider-like guide member disposed within said head chamber to coact withsaid restrictor member.

.2. In a structure of the class described, the

combination of a barrel provided with a supply connection, a chamberedhead provided with a discharge port at its outer end and with arearwardly facing conical valve seat surrounding the port, the end wallof the chamber being conical and merging into the conical valve seat, anannular throat member disposed in said head and provided with aplurality of spirally disposed peripheral grooves, the throat membercoacting with the walls ofthe head to provide a plurality of spiralpassages opening to the head chamber ill at the rear of the throat anddischarging against the said conical surface, a throat restrictor memberactuated therewith and having a cylindrical portion movable into and outof said throat and acting to substantially close the throat when itscylindrical portion is within the throat, a valve movable with saidrestrictor member and positioned relative to the cylindrical portionthereof so that the throat is substantially closed during a substantialrange of adjustment of the valve, said .valve having a conical forwardend portion seatingly engageable with said conical seat, the conicalsurfaces of said end wall, valve seat and valve facilitating arelatively large uninterrupted inward, forward, and spiral flow of waterfrom the forward ends of said peripheral grooves to within saiddischarge port and forward said valve, and facilitating a relativelylarge straight forward flow of water from the throat into the dischargeport and forward the valve, the range of adjustment of the restrictormember being such that it is entirely withdrawn from the throat when thevalve is fully open, and a spider-like guide member disposed within saidhead chamber to coact with said restrictor member.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a barrelprovided with a supply connection, a chambered head provided with adischarge port at its outer end and with a rearwardly facing conicalvalve seat surrounding the port, the end wall of the chamber beingconical and merging into the conical valve seat, an annular throatmember disposed in said head and provided with a plurality of spirallydisposed peripheral grooves, the throat member coacting with the wallsof the head to provide a plurality of spiral passages opening to thehead chamber at the rear of the throat and discharging against the saidconical surface, a manually actuated reciprocatingly mounted valvecoacting with said valve seat, and a throat restrictor operativelyassociated with the valve for adjustment therewith and having acylindrical portion which is positioned within the throat during asubstantial range of adjustment of the valve and having a forwardlytapered portion of substantial axial length and acting to variablyrestrict the throat during a substantial range of adjustment of thevalve, said valve having a conical forward end portion seatinglyengageable with said conical seat, the

conical surfaces of said end wall, valve seat and valve facilitating arelatively large uninterrupted inward, forward, and spiral flow of waterfrom the forward ends of said peripheral grooves to within saiddischarge port and forward said valve, and facilitating a relativelylarge straight forward flow of water from the throat into the dischargeport and forward the valve, said restrictor member being entirelywithdrawn from the throat when the valve is fully open.

4. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a barrelprovided with a supply connection, a chambered head provided with adischarge port at its outer end and with a rearwardly facing conicalvalve seat surroundingthe port, the end wall of the chamber beingconical and merging into the conical valve seat, an annular throatmember disposed in said head and provided with a plurality of spirallydisposed peripheral grooves, the throat member coacting with the wallsof the head to provide a plurality of spiral passages opening to thehead chamber at the rear of the throat and discharging against the saidconical surface, a manually actuated reciprocatingly mounted valvecoacting with said valve seat,

said valve having a conical forward end portion seatingly engageablewith said conical seat, the conical surfaces of said end wall, valveseat and valve facilitating a relatively large uninterrupted inward,forward, and spiral flow of water from the forward ends of saidperipheral grooves to within said discharge port and forward said valve,and facilitating a relatively large straight forward flow of water fromthe throat into the discharge port and forward the valve, and a throatrestrictor operatively associated with the valve for adjustmenttherewith and having a cylindrical portion which is positioned withinthe throat during a substantial range of adjustment of the valve andhaving a forwardly tapered portion of substantial axial length andacting to variably restrict the throat during a substantial range ofadjustment of the valve.

5. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a barrelprovided with a supply connection, a chambered head provided with adischarge port at its outer end and with a rearwardly facing conicalvalve seat surrounding the port, the end wall of the chamber beingconical and merging into the conical valve seat, an annular throatmember disposed in said head and provided with a plurality of spirallydisposed peripheral passages discharging against the said conicalsurface, a manually actuated reciprocatingly mounted valve coacting withsaid valve seat, said valve having a conical forward end portionseatingly engageable with said conical seat, the conical surfaces ofsaid end wall, valve seat and valve facilitating a relatively largeuninterrupted inward, forward, and spiral flow of water from the forwardends of said peripheral grooves to within said discharge port andforward said valve, and facilitating a relatively large straight forwardflow of Water from the throat into the discharge port and forward thevalve, and a throat restrictor operatively associated with the valve foradjustment therewith and having a cylindrical portion which ispositioned within the throat during a substantial range of adjustment ofthe valve and having a forwardly tapered pcrtion of substantial axiallength and acting to variably restrict the throat during a substantialrange of adjustment of the valve.

6. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a barrelprovided with a supply connection, a chambered head provided with adischarge port at its outer end and with a rearwardly facing conicalvalve seat, the end wall of the chamber being conical and merging intothe conical valve seat, a throat member disposed in said hea throatmember having a central throat opening and with a plurality of spirallydisposed passages disposed radially outward from and independent of saidthroat opening and opening to the head chamber at the rear of the throatmember and discharging against the said conical surface, an adjustablethroat restrictor member having an elongated throat closing portionmovable into and out of said throat, and a valve movable with saidrestrictor member and positioned relative to the throat closing portionthereof so that the throat is closed during a substantial range ofadjustment of the valve, said valve having a conical forward end portionseatingly engageable with said conical valve seat, the conical surfacesof said end wall, valve seat and valve facilitating a relatively large,uninte rupted, inward, forward and spiral flow of water from the forwardends of said spirally disposed passages to within said discharge portand forward said valve, and. facilitating a relatively large straightforward flow of water from said throat into the discharge port andforward the valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,253,245 Hull Jan. 15, 1918 2,213,928 Gold et al Sept. 3,1940 2,520,824 Barton Aug. 29, 1950

